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N.H. Gov. Vetoes Abortion Procedure Ban

N.H. Gov. Vetoes Abortion Procedure Ban

June 19, 2012 — New Hampshire Gov. John Lynch (D) on Friday vetoed a bill (HB 1679) that would have prohibited the procedure that abortion-rights opponents call "partial-birth" abortion, the AP/Boston Globe reports (AP/Boston Globe, 6/15).

Under the bill, the procedure could be performed only to save the life of the woman after a physician confirmed that she had a life-threatening condition and a second doctor who had no legal or financial ties to the first doctor confirmed the diagnosis.

Lynch said he is satisfied with the restrictions in a 2003 federal law. He raised concern that the additional requirements in the New Hampshire bill could jeopardize a woman's life in an emergency. "The lapse of time in finding that second physician and obtaining the needed referral could be significant and could result in the death of the pregnant woman," Lynch said.

The state House on June 27 will reconvene to discuss vetoed bills (Timmins, Concord Monitor, 6/16).

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